Amusement park at Forum Italia in Palermo

by Silva Wischeropp

Magical lighting conditions following a spring shower, with bold, vibrant and rich colours. The modern benches situated right on the waterfront of Palermo Harbour invite young people and families to relax and enjoy a picnic.

This seascape was taken during my Easter trip on 22 April 2022 using a NIKON D800 camera (lens: NIKKOR 50.0 mm f/1.4).
The dramatic cloudy sky lends the scene an exciting, dynamic atmosphere and a very special, mysterious visual effect.

The Foro Italico Umberto I in Palermo is a green space right by the sea. It stretches southwards from the harbour bay of La Cala.

History
Once the Saracen attacks had subsided, the city regarded its access to the sea as a safe haven that should also be used for recreational purposes.
Palermo’s panoramic promenade was initiated in 1582 by Viceroy Marcantonio Colonna, who had already had the Càssaro (today’s Corso Vittorio Emanuele) extended to the harbour the previous year.
In the same year, work began on the construction of the Porta Felice.

After the Second World War, rubble from the old town was dumped into the sea in front of the promenade, creating a new stretch of land off the previous coastline, which remained unused for a long time.
Between the late 1990s and the early 2000s, the area was developed into a park based on a design by the architect Benedetto Terruso, parts of which were named after the writer Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa.